Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) want harsher penalties for any drug dealer providing candy-flavored and candy-coated drugs to minors.
Under the Saving Kids from Candy-Flavored Drugs Act, reintroduced on Thursday, criminals who manufacture, create, distribute, dispense or possess candy coated drugs with the intent to distribute them to a minor would get up to 10 years for the first offense and 20 years for the second offense.
{mosads}According to a release from Grassley’s office, law enforcement has reported drug dealers combining drugs with chocolate or fruit flavors or packaging drugs to look like candy or soda.
There have been reports of candy bracelets containing ecstasy, gummy bears laced with Xanax and candy laced with THC.
“Lifelong addictions frequently begin when a person is young,” Feinstein said in the release. “That’s why it’s so important we do all that we can to keep drugs away from children.”
In a statement, Grassley said cynical criminals are taking advantage of current drug trends to market dangerous drugs to kids.
“It could be marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine or something else,” he said. “The criminals are innovative, and the law should keep up with them.”